Etched in the Earth
by Dance Elle Dance
Summary: She knows the feel of Aang's footprints better than her own, and that reality scares her. AangToph, oneshot


_**Disclaimer: **__I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender._

_**Summary: She knows the feel of Aang's footprints better than her own, and that reality scares her. AangToph, oneshot**_

_And, here we go! Yet another ATLA fanfic. I thought I'd try something different, since my first fic in this fandom was a Zutara, I thought I'd try a Taang. I just had this idea pop up and I thought it was really interesting, so I went with it. I would love to hear y'all's opinions on this fic of mine. Please enjoy! _

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><p><strong>Etched in the Earth<strong>

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><p>Toph knows everyone's footprints by heart.<p>

They are like fingerprints, really. No two footsteps are alike. Each person has a unique way of walking, of carrying themself, that she has been able to pick up on. It was something that she always used against opponents, and now she uses that very technique to get to know her friends. It sounds like a rather ridiculous idea, but it works for her.

Katara has a liquid way of walking. A graceful, sinuous gait that reminds her of the flow of liquid.

Zuko is confident, albeit a bit shy in his steps. Proud, regal, but has a slight air of uncertainty.

Suki's steps are strange to describe - eloquent, decisive. Always moving.

Sokka's movements are fairly easy to decipher. Clumsy, yet steady. All of his natural unease mixed with the confidence of his training.

And then there's Aang.

He's a curious one, she feels. His steps are more interesting to her than anyone else's simply because they are the hardest to track.

Aang is a challenge, and Toph loves challenges.

His feet hardly press to the earth at all, unless he is in a very dire mood, then they seem to weight almost heavier than anyone else's. Otherwise, he's light on his feet. Just like the air he bends.

_Twinkle toes._

He floats over the earth, almost. Whereas most people tread to make a mark, Aang leaves no trace of his existance, other than his famous title and his strength of character as well as body.

She wonders if he knows just how enigmatic he is.

Light-footed, he walks beside her. This has become his common place, something that Toph has realized as of late. How can she not? She has the most sensitive powers out of all of them. Just as she notices Katara walking closer to Zuko than usual. Just how she notices Suki and Sokka. She can almost feel Aang's slight disappointment - okay, so it isn't exactly slight, but he is the Avatar, after all. He has to put up a happy front.

Toph hates to admit it to herself, but she enjoys having the Avatar to herself some days. Okay, well, most days.

He's such a bright presence, someone that anyone would love to be around. The very person that could light up anyone's day just by smiling at them. Though Toph has rough edges to her, reminding people of the jagged edges of rock she wields so effortlessly, she feels like she could be different when she just listens to him, talks to him.

However, when he's like this, it's hard to feel anything but sadness for him, no matter her feelings on the matter.

This is one of the days when his feet seem unnaturally heavy for someone raised with airbending monks. They seem to be made of lead, and the very willpower of him to step forward is something that amazes Toph. She feels his lifelines through the earth, his pulse slow and steady, his breathing forced and ragged, but his voice sounds as chipper as ever. To anyone other than Toph, he would be seen as acting like normal Aang.

To Toph, though, it seems as if Aang is doing everything to keep from falling apart.

A broken heart is nothing easy to fix, and she suspects that Aang never had to deal with this before. His first love, and his first loss. The very thought of it makes Toph's chest ache.

She feels the air rustle by as Momo lands on Aang's shoulder. Appa lumbers behind them. She and Aang were already in the back to begin with, being led around by Suki and Sokka, with Zuko and Katara in front of them, the feel of all of their footprints chiming at the same time almost like music to Toph's ears.

She hears Aang let out a breath - a sad, desperate breath - that interrupts the chorus of footfalls in front of her.

Toph cocks her head to stare at where he would be, "Cheer up, Twinkle Toes."

She feels the slight disturbance of air as he turns his head to look at her in shock, "What? I'm fine."

"You can't lie to me, Aang."

Toph hears the faint chuckle in the back of his throat.

"I guess not." Laughter. False, forced. His pulse is going crazy, heartbeat erratic.

"Ya know, it could be worse," she offers.

Aang's voice is surprisingly bitter when he speaks again, "How?"

"You could be blind." Toph jokes, and is rewarded with a significant change in his emotions, in his walking pattern. He laughs loudly, disturbing the footfalls in front of them so much that the rest of the group turns around. No one elaborates why Aang has suddenly started laughing, so they turn back to their own business after a while.

"You're great, Toph." Aang compliments, and Toph turns her head away from him, hiding the way her cheeks have lit up, but not her smirk.

"Eh, tell me something I don't know."

Aang chuckles at this, and Toph notices how his steps have returned to happy-go-lucky, graceful Aang. She has to concentrate harder to see where he is now, but she notices that he hasn't left her side.

She hopes he never does.

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><p><em><strong>End.<strong>_

_And there ya have it! My second ATLA fanfic, but my first Taang. I really enjoyed writing these two, and I would love to hear y'all's opinions on this. _

_Thanks so much for reading! _


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